The world’s deepest subterranean community - Krubera-Voronja Cave (Western Caucasus)

Subsurface biota extends over a wide variety of habitats that can be spatially interconnected. The largest communities of this subsurface biota inhabit cavities and are well known mainly in caves where biologists are able to have access. Data about deep subterranean communities and arthropods living under one thousand meters was unknown. An expedition to world’s deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja in Western Caucasus, revealed an interesting subterranean community, living below 2000 meters and represented by more than 12 species of arthropods, including several new species for science. This deep cave biota is composed of troglobionts and also epigean species, that can penetrate until -2140 m. Deep subterranean ecosystems should not be seen only as an evolu- tionary dead end towards the troglomorphic syndrome, but also as a shelter for epigean species populations, especially during long periods of time when surface conditions are severe for their survival. Most of the subsurface biota depends on allochthonous sources of organic carbon coming from: water percolating from the surface, sinking streams that enter caves, and activities of animals mov- ing in and out of caves. The biocoenosis and the vertical distribution of invertebrate fauna of Krubera-Voronja are provided, from its entrance to the remarkable depth of 2140 meters, including the discovery of world’s deepest dwelling arthropod

First continental troglobiont Cylindroiulus millipede (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae)

The new species of millipede Cylindroiulus villumi is described from a cave in the Estremenho karst massif in central Portugal. It is the first cave-adapted species of its genus with a strict subterranean life-style in continental Europe, and is the fifth blind species of the genus. The new species is illustrated with photographs and diagrammatic drawings. It is tentatively placed in the purely Iberian Cylindroiulus perforatus-group. The differences between the new species and its relatives are discussed, as well as its adaptations to a subterranean life-style

Studies of Laboulbeniales on Myrmica ants (IV): host-related diversity and thallus distribution patterns of Rickia wasmannii

Fungal species identities are often based on morphological features, but current molecular phylogenetic and other approaches almost always lead to the discovery of multiple species in single morpho-species. According to the morphological species concept, the ant-parasitic fungus Rickia wasmannii (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) is a single species with pan-European distribution and a wide host range. Since its description, it has been reported from ten species of Myrmica (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), of which two belong to the rubra-group and the other eight to the phylogenetically distinct scabrinodis-group. We found evidence for R. wasmannii being a single phylogenetic species using sequence data from two loci. Apparently, the original morphological description (dating back to 1899) represents a single phylogenetic species. Furthermore, the biology and host-parasite interactions of R. wasmannii are not likely to be affected by genetic divergence among different populations of the fungus, implying comparability among studies conducted on members of different ant populations. We found no differences in total thallus number on workers between Myrmica species, but we did observe differences in the pattern of thallus distribution over the body. The locus of infection is the frontal side of the head in Myrmica rubra and M. sabuleti whereas in M. scabrinodis the locus of infection differs between worker ants from Hungary (gaster tergites) and the Netherlands (frontal head). Possible explanations for these observations are differences among host species and among populations of the same species in (i) how ant workers come into contact with the fungus, (ii) grooming efficacy, and (iii) cuticle surface characteristics

Figs 58–59 in Euro-Mediterranean fauna of Campodeinae (Campodeidae, Diplura)

Figs 58–59. Distribution in the Euro-Mediterranean region, including Azores and Canaries. 58. Subgenus Campodea s. str. Silvestri, 1932. 59. Subgenus Dicampa Silvestri, 1932.Published as part of Sendra, Alberto & Reboleira, Ana Sofia P.S., 2020, Euro-Mediterranean fauna of Campodeinae (Campodeidae, Diplura), pp. 1-130 in European Journal of Taxonomy 728 on page 89, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.431688

Figs 37–39 in Euro-Mediterranean fauna of Campodeinae (Campodeidae, Diplura)

Figs 37–39. Campodea (Campodea) lubbockii Silvestri, 1912. 37. ♀, 4 mm, from Geneva, Switzerland, pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum, right side. 38. Urotergites I, V–VIII and abdominal segment IX, right side. 39. ♀, 4.1 mm, from Pichoy, France, right cercus. Abbreviations: see Material and methods. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.Published as part of Sendra, Alberto & Reboleira, Ana Sofia P.S., 2020, Euro-Mediterranean fauna of Campodeinae (Campodeidae, Diplura), pp. 1-130 in European Journal of Taxonomy 728 on page 42, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.431688

The genus Jeekelosoma Mauriès, 1985 – Moroccan cave millipedes (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)

Jeekelosoma Mauriès, 1985, is upgraded from subgenus status under Eviulisoma Silvestri, 1910 to full genus status. The type species, Jeekelosoma abadi (Mauriès, 1985) is redescribed based on topotypical material from a cave in Morocco. Jeekelosoma heptarachne sp. nov. and J. viginti sp. nov. are described from two further Moroccan caves

Figs 44–45 in Euro-Mediterranean fauna of Campodeinae (Campodeidae, Diplura)

Figs 44–45. Campodea (Campodea) meinerti Bagnall, 1918, from Pichoy, France. 44. ♀, 4.5 mm, first urosternite. 45. ³, 3.4 mm, first urosternite. Abbreviations: a 1, a 2, g 1 = glandular setae. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.Published as part of Sendra, Alberto & Reboleira, Ana Sofia P.S., 2020, Euro-Mediterranean fauna of Campodeinae (Campodeidae, Diplura), pp. 1-130 in European Journal of Taxonomy 728 on page 47, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.431688

Figs 50–51. – 50 in Euro-Mediterranean fauna of Campodeinae (Campodeidae, Diplura)

Figs 50–51. – 50. Campodea (Campodea) silvicola Wygodzinsky, 1940, ³, 4 mm, from Roche Vuti, Switzerland, pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum. – 51. Campodea (Campodea) taunica Marten, 1939, ♀, 4.2 mm, from Stâne, Romania, pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum. Abbreviations: see Material and methods. Scale bar: 50 = 0.2 mm; 51 = 0.1 mm.Published as part of Sendra, Alberto & Reboleira, Ana Sofia P.S., 2020, Euro-Mediterranean fauna of Campodeinae (Campodeidae, Diplura), pp. 1-130 in European Journal of Taxonomy 728 on page 58, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.431688

The world’s deepest subterranean community - Krubera-Voronja Cave (Western Caucasus)

Subsurface biota extends over a wide variety of habitats that can be spatially interconnected. The largest communities of this subsurface biota inhabit cavities and are well known mainly in caves where biologists are able to have access. Data about deep subterranean communities and arthropods living under one thousand meters was unknown. An expedition to world’s deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja in Western Caucasus, revealed an interesting subterranean community, living below 2000 meters and represented by more than 12 species of arthropods, including several new species for science. This deep cave biota is composed of troglobionts and also epigean species, that can penetrate until -2140 m. Deep subterranean ecosystems should not be seen only as an evolutionary dead end towards the troglomorphic syndrome, but also as a shelter for epigean species populations, especially during long periods of time when surface conditions are severe for their survival. Most of the subsurface biota depends on allochthonous sources of organic carbon coming from: water percolating from the surface, sinking streams that enter caves, and activities of animals moving in and out of caves. The biocoenosis and the vertical distribution of invertebrate fauna of Krubera-Voronja are provided, from its entrance to the remarkable depth of 2140 meters, including the discovery of world’s deepest dwelling arthropod